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MotoGP
2002 - Round 15 - Phillip Island - Qualifying 1 October 18th, 2002 |
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MotoGP
2002 - Round 15 - Phillip Island - Qualifying 1 October 18th, 2002 |
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Very windy conditions
caused riders some problems during the session. McCoy was fastest
for quite a while before being eclipsed by Alex Barros with 20 minutes
remaining in the session. Then Aoki also overhauled McCoy and went
second quickest with 15 minutes remaining in the session. Jeremy
McWilliams then put in an aggressive lap to go second quickest with 13
minutes left in the session. Garry McCoy then went back to the top of the timesheets with a 1m33.152 with 8 minutes left in the session. Capirossi then moved up to fourth quickest. Daijiro Kato then went second quickest with 4 minutes remaining, Rossi then started to pick up his pace and went third quickest. McCoy was still on top with 3 minutes remaining. Then Jurgen Van Der Goorbergh shot up to 2nd quickest, pushing Kato back to 3rd, and Rossi 4th. Jeremy McWilliams then put in a 1m33.215 to take second spot, relegating Goorbergh to 3rd. But McCoy was still fastest as the timer finished the 60 minute session. But then Barros went across the line with a 1m33.002 to take provisional pole from McCoy. --- Dorna Report --- Predictions of gloomy and stormy weather were cast aside today as the first qualifying practices took centre-stage at the SKYY VODKA Australian Grand Prix under bright and sunny conditions, although the wind was very much an influential factor on the outcome of today's sessions. Brazilian Alex Barros, who took pole position at the last round of the MotoGP competition in Sepang, continued his impressive start to life on board the Honda RC211V, by taking provisional pole at the Phillip Island track this afternoon. Barros had to battle against strong gusts in the lower section of the track beside the sea, and clocked up more laps than any other rider today, setting his best time on his 29th and final circuit. "The winds mean that accelerating is really tough, because the front end is light and if you give too much out of the corner, the bike becomes unstable," explained the 32 year-old. "The two-strokes have gone very well here today, but the team is working really well on getting the settings right, better so than in Sepang or Motegi. The tyres are very crucial here with the changing temperatures, so we have focused on them somewhat. I am very happy, because today is my birthday, and I have pole; it is the best present I could wish for." Joining Barros on the provisional front row were a trio of 500cc machines, who have been able to take advantage of the sweeping fast corners at this circuit. Garry McCoy was the first of these, the Yamaha rider is at his home race this weekend, and is certainly out to impress, even snatching the lead a couple of times throughout the hour as he put pressure on those behind him. Jeremy McWilliams was next, the Briton having bucked the odds to take pole here in 2000 aboard the Aprilia twin, and doing so again as he took third on the Proton KR3 today, continuing his good form in qualifying. Finishing off the front row was Dutchman Jurgen vd Goorbergh, riding the Kanemoto Racing Honda NSR, as he aims to take something from what has been a difficult season. Interestingly the front three on the provisional grid comprise three different bike manufacturers in Honda, Yamaha and Proton, and each of these are supplied by three different tyre manufacturers in Michelin, Dunlop and Bridgestone, demonstrating the great competition which is evident at every level of MotoGP. The second row is made up of many of the pre-race favourites, with World Champion Valentino Rossi in fifth, followed by Daijiro Kato, Tohru Ukawa and last week's race winner, Max Biaggi. The hopes will be that the rain which was forecast will not arrive tomorrow, because there promises to be a great battle for grid position if things remain as they are. In 250 there is no doubt that the man of the moment is young Spaniard Toni Elias, who has looked to be in top condition ever since he began to get results on his Aprilia. With Melandri looking to clinch the title here this weekend, it could be up to Elias to play a pivotal team role here this weekend, as he did last week in Sepang when he helped Fonsi Nieto to victory. Elias was quickest today in the quarter-litres' first qualifiers, with Melandri just behind him in second. Franco Battaini was third, with Nieto completing the front row in a decisive weekend for the 250cc championship. Germany's Steve
Jenkner was the quickest man in the 125cc class on his Aprilia this
afternoon, ahead of the Gilera of Manuel Poggiali who was dealt a lifeline
last week when he was reinstated to fourth place, after crashing on the
final corner in Malaysia. With a 20-point gap to series leader Arnaud
Vincent, Poggiali needs to get ahead of the Frenchman in Sunday's race to
keep his hopes of retaining the title alive, but will take heart from the
fact that Vincent today finished in 21st place due to engine troubles.
Poggiali's San Marino countryman Alex de Angelis was third, while a third
Aprilia of Pablo Nieto was fourth.
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